Zydus Cadila’s COVID-19 jab could be available as soon as October 2

Zydus Cadila’s COVID-19 vaccine will be introduced in the country “very shortly”, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said on Thursday.

It could be introduced as early as October 2, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, according to media reports.

The three-dose needle-free ZyCoV-D vaccine, manufactured by Ahmedabad-based Zydus Cadila, is the first vaccine in India to receive emergency use authorisation for vaccinating teens in the 12-to-18 category.

The Centre is working with Zydus Cadila to decide on the price of the vaccine.

The vaccine is based on the plasmid DNA technology and follows a three-dose regimen with a 28-day gap between each dose. The Drugs Controller General of India gave its nod to the vaccine on August 20.

Developed in partnership with the Department of Biotechnology, ZyCoV-D is a DNA vaccine that produces the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 to elicit an immune response. It is an intradermal vaccine that has to be applied using a ‘needle-free injector’, which the manufacturer says will help in reducing side effects.

Earlier this month, Niti Aayog member (health) Dr VK Paul said that ZyCoV-D could be made available under the national vaccination programme as early as October. “We are looking forward to receiving recommendations of the NTAGI on the beneficiary or target group to which the vaccine has to be given. The work is in progress and you will hear more about this in the times to come,” Paul said.

India is currently administering Covishield, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India, Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin, and Russia’s Sputnik V vaccines for immunisation against Covid-19.